Chennai: The BCCI today decided to hold its much-delayed Annual General Meeting on December 17 even as it stood firmly behind embattled President-in-exile N Srinivasan after he was cleared of IPL fixing charges by the Supreme Court-appointed probe committee.
The decision was taken at an Emergent Working Committee meeting where the Board also supported IPL COO Sundar Raman, who has been accused of being in touch with a bookie’s contact in the Justice Mudgal Committee probe report.
“The working committee postponed the 85th Annual General Meeting of the BCCI, originally scheduled to be held on November 20. The meeting now will be held on December 17, 2014 at 11:30 am, at Park Sheraton, Chennai,” the BCCI said in a statement.The Board backed Srinivasan, who has also been cleared of allegations that he tried to subvert the probe. BCCI said the charges against Srinivasan were aimed at destabilising the Board. Srinivasan is currently also the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
“The members noted the conclusions in the final report of the Mudgal committee and felt that there is no taint on the conduct of Mr Srinivasan and the allegations levelled against him by unscrupulous elements were baseless and were aimed at destabilising the working of the BCCI,” the statement read.
Besides, the working committee also heard Raman’s explanation with regards to charges against him in the report, which was submitted to the Supreme Court. The apex court will continue to hear the matter on November 24.
“Members were given a copy of the final report of the Justice Mudgal committee and the conclusions were explained and discussed,” the BCCI said.
“Sundar Raman gave his explanation relating to his role with reference to the conclusion relating to him in the report of Mudgal committee. The members heard his explanation and decided that the Board should support Mr Sundar Raman to represent himself before the Supreme Court,” it added.
The Mudgal report, while clearing Srinivasan of serious charges, had, however, stated that he did not act against an unnamed cricketer accused of misconduct while his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra were found guilty of betting that could leave their teams — CSK and RR — in trouble.
The three-member committee confirmed Meiyappan was a team official (Team Principal) of Chennai Super Kings while Kundra’s “infractions violated BCCI/IPL Anti Corruption Code”. Kundra has already denied the allegations.
The Committee — headed by retired High Court Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal with Additional Solicitor General L Nageshwar Rao and senior advocate Nilay Dutta as members — held that Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was involved in betting but not in match fixing.